Abstract: A process for the hydroformylation of alkenes and other olefinically unsaturated reactants by reaction with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a solid surface having immobilized thereon a solution of one or more rhodium complexes which is essentially immiscible with the organic reactant. Catalyst is subsequently recovered from the resulting hydroformylation product by one or more solid-liquid separation techniques.

Abstract: Certain mixtures of the ethylene oxide adducts of higher carbon number tertiary thiols, having a reduced content of free thiols and lower (i.e., 1 to 3 mol) ethylene oxide adducts, exhibit improved detergency performance, particularly in high temperature laundry applications.

Abstract: A process for the selective separation of certain vinylidene olefins from their mixtures with linear olefins and for the preparation of valuable alkyl esters of acrylic acid, which comprises steps for(a) contacting and reacting a liquid phase C.sub.6 to C.sub.30 olefin feedstock mixture containing both one or more ethyl- and higher alkyl-branched vinylidene olefins and one or more linear olefins with one or more reactive agents selected from the group consisting of alkyl esters of acrylic acid at a temperature of between about 40.degree. and 200.degree. C. and in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of one or more ene reaction catalysts, to selectively convert all or part of the ethyl- and higher alkyl-branched vinylidene olefins of said feedstock mixture to higher carbon number acrylic acid esters and to produce a product mixture comprising the resulting higher acrylic acid esters and unreacted olefins, and(b) terminating step (a) and separating the unreacted olefins from said product mixture.

Abstract: A process for enhancing the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil-containing reservoir having a temperature of at least about 40.degree. C., which comprises steps for(a) injecting into an injection well in the reservoir substantially liquid CO.sub.2 and an aqueous mixture containing between about 50 and 10,000 parts per million by weight, calculated on the weight of the water, of one or more surfactants of the formulaR--(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.x --Zwherein R represents an alkyl group of about 8 to 16 carbon atoms, x is an integer having an average value of about 5 to 20, and Z represents either a --OCOOM formate group or a --OCH.sub.2 COOM acetate group, with M representing a mono-valent inorganic cation, to displace oil from the reservoir, and(b) recovering the displaced oil from one or more recovery wells in the reservoir.The alcohol ethoxycarboxylate surfactants utilized in this process provide excellent control over the mobility of the CO.sub.

Abstract: C.sub.4 to C.sub.7 trifluoroalkene compounds and a method for their preparation by the contact of C.sub.3 or C.sub.4 trifluoroalkenes with C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 olefins in the presence of a homogeneous palladium (II) catalyst.

Abstract: This invention provides an improvement in anionic polymerization processes which comprise both a batch polymerization step to form and partially grow living polymer chains and a subsequent continuous or semi-continuous step in which growth of the chains is continued. For purposes of this improvement, the transition to the continuous or semi-continuous step takes place before the molar concentration of monomer in the batch polymerization step is depleted to a level below that of the living chains. Anionic polymerization processes are recognized as particularly useful for the production of polymers having narrow molecular weight distributions. Practice under the invention is found to enhance the narrow distribution of the polymer product by controlling thermal die-out of chains which has occurred in conventional processes during the transition from batch to continuous or semi-continuous polymerization steps.

Abstract: A process for the purification of the crude isopropyl alcohol product of propylene hydration reactions. Crude isopropyl alcohol products, which comprise isopropyl alcohol, diisopropyl ether and polymeric impurities, are subjected to a specified sequence of multiple dilution and phase separation steps which serve to extract a substantial portion of the product's diisopropyl ether and polymeric impurities. The invention is particularly useful in removing odiferous sulfur-containing impurities from the products of indirect propylene hydration processes which involve the reaction of propylene with sulfuric acid to produce isopropyl sulfate followed by hydrolysis of the sulfate to isopropyl alcohol.

Abstract: A screw-type extrusion apparatus adapted for the extrusion of a viscous primary extrusion stock and particularly adapted for the mixing into said primary extrusion stock of an additive of lower viscosity, which comprises (a) an elongated barrel, (b) means for introducing the primary stock into an upstream end of said barrel, (c) means for discharging extrusion stock from a downstream end of said barrel, (d) a rotatable screw worm axially disposed within said barrel for advancing the primary stock from the upstream end of said barrel to the downstream end of said barrel, said screw having a screw root and affixed to said root at least two axially separated stages of helically threaded screw flights, and (e) an injector for introducing the additive into the barrel at an axial position intermediate to the two said stages of screw flights, said injector extending inward through said barrel wall and having an inlet external to said wall and an outlet positioned substantially at the surface of said screw root.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the preparation of secondary thiols by the addition of H.sub.2 S to C.sub.10 to C.sub.30 linear olefins in the presence of certain zeolite catalysts. The process achieves high selectivity to the secondary thiol and minimizes formation of dialkyl sulfide by-products. The secondary thiol products are of particular advantage for use as intermediates in the preparation of surfactant chemicals.

Abstract: Detergent compositions particularly useful in hard-surface cleaning comprise an alkanol ethoxylate component which consists essentially of a mixture of compounds of the formula R--O--CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O--.sub.x H, wherein R is an alkyl group of from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, said alkyl group having a linear carbon chain in at least about 50 percent of the ethoxylate molecules; wherein the --O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --O--.sub.x H ether substituent is, in at least 40 percent of the molecules of the mixture, bound to R at a carbon atom which is neither a terminal carbon atom nor a carbon atom adjacent to a terminal carbon atom; and wherein x has an average value for all ethoxylate molecules of the mixture which is in the range from about 3 to 9; said ethoxylate component being further characterized as having a hydrophile-lipophile balance that is between about 10.4 and 12.

Abstract: An improved evaporation process for accomplishing the separation of a solution into its volatile and non-volatile components. The improvement over conventional evaporation, according to which the solution is fed to a calandria where it is heated and partially vaporized and the resulting calandria vapor stream is subjected to vapor-liquid separation for the removal of entrainment, relates to the practice of an additional and intermediate step in which the calandria vapor is contacted with the feed solution.

Abstract: In the direct oxidation of isobutane with molecular oxygen at moderate isobutane conversion levels (up to about 20%) in a reaction mixture maintained at a pressure greater than its critical pressure and at a temperature in the range from about 140.degree. C. to 170.degree. C., the selectivity of the isobutane conversion to tertiary-butyl hydroperoxide is enhanced with only minimal impact on the reaction rate by controlling the oxygen concentration in the reaction mixture at a level below about 0.1%M.

Abstract: In continuous preparation of tertiary-butyl hydroperoxide by the direct oxidation of isobutane in dense-phase reaction mixture at a pressure in excess of the critical pressure of the mixture, and under conditions relating to temperature and to oxygen and isobutane content of the mixture, improvement in selectivity to TBHP is realized by a process which comprises conducting a plurality of such oxidation reactions each in one of a series of dense-phase reaction mixtures by continuously introducing isobutane reactant into the first reaction mixture in the series, continuously introducing oxygen reactant into each reaction mixture of the series, and withdrawing a continuous flow from each mixture of the series and introducing this flow into the next mixture of the series, with the provision that the continuous flow withdrawn from the last mixture of the series is taken from the process as a TBHP-containing product mixture characterized by a conversion of the isobutane reactant of between about 3 and 25 percent.

Abstract: In the preparation of tertiary-butyl hydroperoxide by the direct oxidation of isobutane, the production of tertiary-butyl hydroperoxide, expressed as the quantity of the compound prepared per unit of reactor volume per unit of time, is enhanced by conducting the oxidation in a dense, supercritical phase reaction mixture at a temperature in excess of the critical temperature of the mixture, at a pressure in excess of the critical pressure of the mixture, and under conditions relating to composition of the mixture.